Plastic bristles for the washing brushes of automatic washing equipment

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed towards plastic bristles for the washing brushes of automatic car washes which operate with moving brushes, where the bristles are hollow-profile bristles. The hollow-profile bristles preferably exhibit a diameter of from 0.5 to 5 mm and a round or oval cross section.

[0001] The invention relates to plastic bristles to the washing brushesof automatic car washes which operate with moving brushes.

[0002] Plastic bristles for the washing brushes of automatic washingequipment which operates with moving, generally rotating brushes usuallyhave a cross-shaped profile. Such bristles are described, for example,in the German journal “Beschädigung von Autolack beim Waschen mitsynthetischen Borsten” [Damage to car paint during washing withsynthetic bristles] (reprint from ATZ Autmobiltechnisch Zeitschrift,Vol. 71, No. 10,/1969). It Is stated that this cross-shaped profileresults in the paint surface of a vehicle being stressed less duringwashing in automatic car washes.

[0003] However, it has been found that, in particular in poorlymaintained car washes, dust and dirt particles can collect in theprofile grooves, resulting in damage to the paint.

[0004] A significant contribution towards better roll-shaped washingbrushes was given by DE-B 39 36 922, which relates to particular crosssections in a particular arrangement with respect to the direction ofmovement of the washing brushes.

[0005] DE-A 197 41 899.6 discloses plastic bristles for the washingbrushes of automatic car washes in which the LDPE usually used has beenreplaced by the polyester PBT, which may also contain an addition offrom 1 to 25% of polyurethane. This is said to prevent the gray haze(polymer abrasion) formed by, LDPE during washing.

[0006] In spite of these improvements, the paint of the vehicles beingwashed is still easily scratched in car washes.

[0007] The invention thus has the object of solving the abovementionedproblem. In particular, the aim is to reduce the risk of scratching ofthe car paint of the vehicles being washed during washing in car washes.

[0008] This object is achieved by plastic bristles for the washing,brushes of automatic care washes which operate with moving brushesthrough the use of bristles which are hollow-profile bristles.

[0009] The plastic bristles according to the invention are thushollow-profile bristles. They preferably have a round or oval crosssection. The diameter of these bristles, in the case of an oval crosssection this is the extension in the direction of the longest axis, ispreferably from 0.5 to 5 mm, preferably from 0.5 to 1.5 mm.

[0010] Bristles of this type exhibit the following advantages:

[0011] Firstly, these bristles have for the same diameter less weightthan the solid-profile bristles usually used (from 1 to 2.0 mm). Thismeans that the impact energy of the bristles on the paint during washingin the car wash is less. Scratches are less probable.

[0012] Secondly, these profile bristles according to the invention havea similar rigidity compared with solid-profile bristles. Such a rigidityis important because most car washes are controlled via the pressureapplied by the brushes. If the modulus of elasticity of the plasticbristles, i.e. the rigidity, is thus too low, the control of theequipment no longer operates correctly. The advantage of thehollow-profile bristles according to the invention is thus thesignificantly lower weight compared with the solid profile at the sametime as similar rigidity of the profile bristles.

[0013] Furthermore, hollow-profile bristles deform elastically on impacton the bodywork, in contrast to solid-profile bristles. In combinationwith the lower weight, this results in less scratching of the car paint.

[0014] The plastic bristles according to the invention can be made ofany desired materials usually used, such as LDPE, or polyester, inparticular PBT, with an addition of from 1 to 25 by weight ofpolyurethane.

[0015] Preferred materials for the plastic bristles according to theinvention are polyamides or polyesters, more preferably polyamides,which are selected from the group consisting of PA-6 , PA-66, PA-610 andPA-162. Materials of this type can of course also be used in combinationwith one another. Further preferred materials are polyesters, inparticular PBT, preferably with the above-mentioned addition ofpolyurethane.

[0016] The plastic bristles according to the invention are preferablyemployed in the brushes in such a way that the alignment of the bristleequipment or of the bristle set is selected transversely to a directionof rotation of the brushes.

[0017] The hollow-profile bristles according to the invention can haveall shapes. However, preference is given to shapes as shown in theattached FIG. 1 to FIG. 8, where, for reasons of simplicity, merely theouter peripheral line of the cross section is shown.

[0018] In the figures:

[0019]FIG. 1 shows rectangular cross sections of the bristles;

[0020]FIG. 2 shows a symmetrical lenticular cross section. This ispreferably an oval or symmetrical cross section. According, to FIG. 3,elliptical cross sections are possible, i.e. cross sections which arenot symmetrical, but in which a small and a large axis are clearlyformed.

[0021]FIG. 4 shows a rectangular cross section with rounded corners;

[0022]FIG. 5 shows a loaf-shaped cross section which has a flat base,but a curved upper surface.

[0023]FIG. 6 shows a rhombic cross section in which the longitudinalextension is again transverse to the vector of the peripheral speed R′,and

[0024]FIG. 7 shows a curved cross section in which the underside of thecross section has a flat shape. However, a cross section which is curvedsymmetrically on both sides is also possible.

[0025]FIG. 8 shows a round cross section.

1. Plastic bristles for the washing brushes of automatic car washeswhich operate with moving brushes, wherein the bristles arehollow-profile bristles.
 2. The plastic bristles as claimed in claim 1 ,wherein the hollow-profile bristles have a round or oval cross section.3. The plastic bristles as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein thehollow-profile bristles have in cross section a diameter in theirlongest direction of from 0.5 to 5 mm.
 4. The plastic bristles asclaimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the material of thehollow-profile bristles is selected from the group consisting of LDPE,polypropylene, polyamides, preferably PA-6, PA-66, PA-610 or PA-612,polyesters, preferably PBT.
 5. The plastic bristles as claimed in one ofthe preceding claims, wherein the alignment of the bristle equipment orthe bristle set is selected transversely to a direction of rotation ofthe brushes.
 6. The plastic bristles as claimed in one of the precedingclaims, wherein the bristles protrude at their end from a bristle stripor the bristles are gathered in the center into a striplikeconstruction.